Are there any other Moms out there dealiing with early menopause?

Mari - posted on 11/20/2012

Is 48 really considered early?

Bevrely - posted on 11/14/2012

I decided not to take any med,but I hear their are natural med that work well.I am 49 I started about 4-5 years ago. exercise,keep a social life,stay happy,drink plenty of water

Veronica - posted on 04/03/2011

We all go through it, in different ways. It is a part of being a woman, be proud of what you have acvhived.like given birth to your children and having them in your life after manapause..get meds..that helps..good luck!

Hervette - posted on 04/02/2011

Well is either be soulfully coDependet on Jesus tooth and nail go on a diet for that or meds I am 48 also and I'm dealing with menupause and I am too looking for assistance but even if it has to be meds I'm doing my research and have run across one call naturalreliefe and feel its naturalmeds diet or my life! Do except device.

Gaela - posted on 03/24/2011

Hi Bonnie, I'm 52 and my hormone levels show I'm POST menapausal! I also don't take hormones due to a very strong family history of stroke while taking HRTs. I took black cohosh towards the end, I also take fish oil, cinnamon, Vit D and calcium. But you know, the thing I couldn't live without is a little fan that I attached to the head of my bed. I can flip that thing on in my sleep and move it with me as I roll towards hubby and when I have to move to the other side of the bed because of the 300 degrees of body heat hubby puts off! I think the hardest thing for me to deal with is not the hotflashes, but the vaginal dryness! I do use some estrogen cream for that, but only after I researched the heck out of it to find out that it's really very safe since only a minute amount is absorbed into the blood stream. so, of course it doesn't help with the hotflashes, but it helps with the muscle thinning and dryness as well as "muscle memory". Just hang in there, it will be over soon.

Lynn - posted on 03/21/2011

im so sorry for you i know what you are going through as im 50 and was pre menopausal at the age of 39 yer same age as when i became a grandma for the first time i thought ouch someone was trying to tell me im now getting old haha but i had the hot flushes stared the mood swings which are most unplesent at 39 i was determined i was not going to take perscription drugs to sort this prob out, but by time i was 43 i was totally no periods true meopausal and the symptoms became worse and a lot more symptoms like the itching all over like ants crawling over my body then even worse now and then it was like i was not in my body it was like i was watching myself saying all these nasty things and doing all these nasty things to people i loved and not being able to do anything about it by now i was driving my family insane so i went to doctors and asked for information on hrt as soon as he said theres only a 1 percent extra chance i could get cancer through hrt i said no thanks i will hav to cope with out help only things i can advise is drink plenty of water make sure u have cool showers or baths and if poss always try and have a fan near you even if its a little hand held one i promise you it does get better its now 7 years on and the mood swings are near on gone i only have a hot flush once in blue moon and the itching has gone keep up with not taking the perscription drugs its worth it in the end

Liz - posted on 03/21/2011

Exercise and a good friend base. It is tough going through this because of hormonal changes. I also have found that being active and around my kids and animals off set the problem of menopause. My OB thinks this is strange but it works for me and it stops a lot of stress and that can trigger other reactions

Bonnie - posted on 03/20/2011

Could you also please post on the Moms and Menopause or Peri-Menopause Circle so that you can help other Moms who are not in this circle? Thanks very much.

Bonnie - posted on 03/20/2011

Thanks everyone for your posts! Keep them coming and we all help to support each other.

I started peri-menopause at least 10 yrs. ago....so don't despair, sometimes it is a slow process. But, I know, we will all get through it with a little help from our friends.

Bonnie

Karen - posted on 03/07/2011

Glass of red wine mid afternoon for the motional stuff and a tub at least once a week with candles. Massages every two weeks if you can find an affordable option.

Dawn - posted on 03/07/2011

Hi Bonnie. Yes, I am one of those mom. Mine started at age 33. Not fun. Night sweats and hot flashes. I have heard from other who take soy products. It worked for them. Not me of course. I know that some of the foods that we eat can make matters worse or better. Avoid caffeine helps and spicy foods.

Bonnie - posted on 03/04/2011

Soy products are supposed to also be helpful with menopause and hot flashes. There is also a great book on menopause by Dr. Christianne Northrup. You should be able to find it at bookstores or your library.

Ladies, we also have a Moms and Menopause or Peri-Menopause Community and are discussing these same issues. You are all welcome to join our community and share in the conversations. Hope to see you there.

Bonnie Gray
Community Administrator
Moms & Menopause or Peri-Menopause
Circle of Moms

Anne - posted on 03/10/2010

Bonnie, At Whole Foods Market I found the best Over-the-counter herbal remedy that worked great for me. It has soy plus several other things. The black cohosh itself never did anything. I'm sorry I can't remember the name of it but if you have one near you or have a friend that lives near one check it out. Also

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/nutritio...

here is the URL for info on ladies 40-59 nutrition. It tells you about soy isoflavones that help with menopause. Good luck!

Lynne - posted on 03/09/2010

Hi Bonnie, I too had an early menopause. I started at 40....I just turned 51. The thing that helped me most was an over-the-counter product called Estroven. You can get it anywhere. The thing you need to remember when going through hot flashes and mood swings is your diet. Avoid caffine completely, and moderate your sugar intake. Hope this helps.

Vicky - posted on 03/01/2010

Hi, I am 43 years old and have been dealing with menapause since I was 36. Yep that is early. Well I never tok prescription meds for it as I have other meds that will not work well with menapausel meds. So I talked to my gyn and she suggested that I take vitamin E twice a day and oil of evening primrose 3 times a day. I have been doing this now for a year and my hotflashes have gone away and the aggetation with it. talk to your gyn before you start taking these to make sure that they will not interact with the meds if any, that you are on. It really works for me.

Eunice - posted on 03/01/2010

The only things I done, was, I took a sock and filled it with dryed beans, keept it in the freezer, when I felt a hot flash coming I would place that on the back of my neck and calm myself down and stay calm until it was gone and that seemed to hurry those bad boys along, I still have them just not as noticeable. I took Remephemine ( get it at Walmart ) 100% natural and it works great if you take it everyday for 12 wks.

Bonnie Sue - posted on 03/01/2010

Drink soy milk. If you can find "Vita-Soy" it tastes the best. Also "Silk". The soy has a small amount of estrogen which seems to help hot flashes. Also, take Spirulina supplements and magnesium. Check out the health benefits for each on the internet. Get more exercise! I'm now 66 and I know these things really help!

Lynn - posted on 03/01/2010

I have switched to using Soy milk in my tea-if you used as much cream as I did, you will easily get plenty of it. If you don't use cream or milk, probably won't help as the stuff doesn't taste that good by itself to most people. Soy is supposed to have natural estrogen so if you can find other soy products-tofu or something, maybe it will help. It has helped me and I am not taking any drugs or hormone therapy. Still get a flash once in a while, but I don't wake up in the middle of night tearing sheets and clothing to get some relief!

Rosario - posted on 03/01/2010

now i'm 46 and i'm started my menpoause 3 years ago, i need the advice also becouse i i'm not taking any drug, and i want to know is necesary

Jennifer - posted on 03/01/2010

i find a natural based menapause treatment helpful,it was called remefemin.you can buy it at health food shop or chemist

Cindi - posted on 02/28/2010

www.womentowomen.com is a great site!

Cindi - posted on 02/28/2010

The hardest thing I have gone through, is the weight gain. I gained twenty pounds so quickly,I was really shocked. The best treatment for the weight gain is to eat right. More protein and alot less carbs,especially bad ones. Stay away from sugar as much as possible, and limit the caffeine. Excersize. One thing that really helps me is yoga.



The other difficult matter,is that my husband has almost no clue. I can't handle the hormonal replacement thing, and I am in full menopause now and have been for 8 years. Once I understood what I was going through when I hit 44, then it was a little easier to understand the odd feelings and symptoms I was experiencing. I found out that some things I was going through were typical of peri-menopause. I thought I was losing my mind!

Claire - posted on 02/28/2010

I am taking estroven and black cohosh. They have helped loads!

Marion - posted on 02/28/2010

Hello Bonnie,



I've been going through Menopause for the last 8 yr's. I started when I was 45. I've always only taken Natural Vitamins, & they've always worked for me. But, everyone's different.



I found something called, "Remifemin", helped me with my HOT FLUSHES.



Theres are the Vitamins that I take every day. They also might, help you.



Fish Oil, 1500mg;



Celery 750mg & Juniper Berries 500mg, which helps with Fluid Retention;



Ginkgo Biloba 2000mg, it helps with Memory, Circulation & Concentration;



Zinc, it helps your Immune System, it helps keep colds & Flus at bay;



Caltrate, wich is high in Calcium. Menopoause strips a lot of our Calcium out of our Bodies.



Mega B, it's good for giving you Energy, Help's the Nervous System, A Healthy Brain Function, Healthy Skin, Blood Cells & The Digestive System.



For any Migrains, I take something with FeverFew in it. It's called Migracaps. They work really fast & it's also a Natural Product.



For the Stree, Anxiety, Irrtability, Restlessness & INSOMNIA, I take Brauer Nervatona Clam.



Most of these Product's you can buy over the counter at any Chemist OR Herbal Shop. I get mine from a Company Called *" Golden Glow"*. Everything from them is all Natural Product's.

I'm also a member. It cost's nothing to join. They also have a Naturopath's on hand if you need any help with anything. You can buy from them on Line @ www.goldenglow.com.au



Anyway, I hope some of this will help you, Bonnie. And anyone else that is going through Menopause.

Suzy - posted on 02/28/2010

I've been taking black cohash, 10mg in the AM and PM. Lately it hasn't been working. My friend takes soy pills and said her hot flashes/sweats stopped. I'm about ready to try it. After reading these posts, I realized why I'm gaining weight even though I'm not eating any more than usual. I guess I'll have to work out more.

Rochelle - posted on 02/28/2010

For those of you who are going through menopause early make sure that is what it is. In my mid 30s I was having sporadic periods and would miss 2-3 months in a row. I was so worried about my fertility since I had not had any children yet at that point or even met Mr. Right. I went to a naturopath and found out it was just a hormonal imbalance due to a deficiency in vitamin E. He got me built back up on vitamin E and some other herbal supplements and my periods came back regularly. Never had anymore problems after that. I did not not marry until age 41 and even had my son at age 45 (conceived naturally). I will be 48 in March and so far, still have a regular period, have had no menopause symptoms. I met a lady in one of the other forums who is 57 and pregnant naturally. I know for some it is just hereditary to go through early menopause but even for those of you in your 40s I would say don't rule out a a dietary deficiency or other chemical/hormonal imbalance.

Alana - posted on 02/28/2010

I am 48 also and started menopause at 40. I have not gone any prescriptions either. My best advise is to take remifemine. It is a natural remidy made with black cohosh and evening primrose oil. It will take the edge off the hot flashes and mood swings. also drink lots of water when you feel hot flashes coming on. Keep water by the bed. You will be up going to the bathroom a little more but your body will stay hydrated. Good luck to you.

Pauline - posted on 02/28/2010

Hi, I'm 48 and have been premenpoause for five year and I am now in the menpoause, still having periods which are all over the place. I have not found anything that has really helped me yet and I don't want to take prescription drugs, drinking plenty of water and exercise, Im also trying to looes wieght which is really hard work.

Sorry I can't help but I do know how your feeling and understand, I find its hard to explane how you are feeling to other, because they don't get it unless they are going through it, I get flushes that can last for 30min it seems once I get hot it take a lomg time to cool down, I also find that my body hurts and some times I don't know what to do with myself and tired so tired, I could go on but I won't. To all you ladies who have responded it good to hear about what has helped, I will have to read them all but not to day as it's a bad day after a bad night of not much sleep

Sabrina - posted on 02/27/2010

I started about the same time. Your periodss can become irratic, not regular. What my friends and I have noticed is that the blood flow changes. We had much heavier periods than we were used to. The blood was thinner. I had some hot flushes, managable. One of my friends her bed was saturated every night from sweating. I don't understand how women who are dealing with this don't end up with pneumonia, doona on, doona off.

My periods stopped about two years ago and I am 54. Early last year I started to have side effects. My body ached. I would get into bed and ask which part of me doesn't ache. Also lethargy. I was falling asleep all the time, no matter what time of the day. I had no energy. I found a web site of Australian Menopause Centre, located in Sydney.Very helpful and caring staff. My Oestrogen levels were very low and so were my Progesterone levels. I now take Natural HRT which has certainly helped. I would reccommend looking at the site because it tells you side effects of menopause and we are all different. You may not need anything at the moment. It costs me about$100 per month but I was spending $40 on nurofen+ to help with pain . I feel that it is money well spent. I have regular blood tests. They tell me I will not be on this for ever. Unfortunately this is not claimable against PBS. Just have a look at side effects and you can monitor yourself how you are goin. But don't suffer.

Gillian - posted on 02/27/2010

breathe - walk - dance - enjoy the next stage of your life !

Patricia - posted on 02/27/2010

Hi Bonnie,

I am 54 yrs old and I am 4 yrs out the other side of menopause! I started through the change at a whopping "40"! I don't think I was ready for it mentally, and it really threw me for a bit of a loop! Physically and mentally I was a mess. Some women I have talked to, slide through it easily. But I didn't. I had every symptom, and had them severely! It was very uncomfortable all of the time; and lasts every bit of the ten years that they tell you it will. But it "only" lasts 10 years, and believe it or not that flies, when you look back on it! I know that may sound dismal to you now, but, life after change is wonderful! I feel like I did when I was 30 again! Except of course the things that are wrong with my body as a result of my age!

All I can say is dig in and smile, it only lasts for 10 years! Pat

Anah - posted on 02/27/2010

Hi Bonnie - you could try some herbs... dong quai, chaste tree, false unicorn, st. johns wort, black cohosh etc - for hot flushes and depression and other symptoms of menopause - can send you some if you want.... Anah x

Patsy - posted on 02/27/2010

Watch what you eat. This affects you more than you realize. Do not eat, or drink anything that will cause hot flashes to be worse. I love hot sauce, but that's a big nono! Alchohol,too. Learn to take deep breaths, & pray for the strength not to blow up over nothing. I did it without drugs, but I was also mostly alone. No one around @ home to aide in my bad moods.

Deborah - posted on 02/27/2010

Hi Bonnie

I do take Black Cohosh and it has worked for me, I started menopausal when I was 38 and I am 46 now, i have been told the younger you are the longer it takes, so I am HOPING I am about DONE. good luck

Dawn - posted on 02/27/2010

I have been going threw this for 10 years I get the hot flashes all the time I was using black cohash its herbal or try searching herbal remedies for menopause hopefully mine is almost over I will 50 be this year I will not take any hormones or anything it is a natural thing so let it happen good luck

Gina - posted on 02/26/2010

Hi Bonnie,



The "ease" or "dis-ease" of menopause is diet-related. Menopause shouldn't be difficult. However, with the modern American diet, it seems most women have issues. I would be happy to talk with you about getting on the right track, as I am a Health and Nutrition Counselor. You can reach me at 435-565-2062.



Best wishes to you!



Warm Regards,

Gina Van Luven

Sherri - posted on 02/26/2010

I started menopause round the same time, I will be 50 in July.This past FebruaryI cheked out a health ood tore called B.N. Health Store n Pickering Ontario. I bought "MenuoSense" Menopause formula, fothe reduction of hot flashes, night sweats, and te symptoms of menpause. This is exact quote, from the bottle. I bought this on January 28th/10, I am to th point I take it every 3 days, what a difference I can be nice.

Joy - posted on 02/26/2010

I am 48 I started to go into menopause around 40. I went to our natural health food store and they suggested I start using natural progesterone cream. It's made from wild mexican yams or sweet potatoes. Also eating sweet potatoes helps but I put this cream on the inside of my arms one pump every day. I actually started my periods again and I am on a 28 day cycle. If you don't want to start your periods again just use one pump a day on the days you get hot flashes it will take away the severe hot flashes at least.

Anna - posted on 02/25/2010

You've gotten some great advice thus far, so I won't say much more, but a)keep moving (I'm a marathoner, but you don't have to be that crazy) b) drink lots of water c)laugh and d) don't blame your husband, tho' I know sometimes that's hard! Hang in there - we're all out here to support you.

Cindy - posted on 02/25/2010

I am 52 going through menopause. I am med sensitive so not able to take a lot of scripts.

depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may not have a choice. I try to stay as comfortable as possible.

good luck with that.

Laura - posted on 02/25/2010

I went through menopause when I was 39. The best thing to do is to stay active, wear cool clothing, take vitamin B and, if you can take it, a low dose of estrogen can help you get through the night sweats and the ups and downs. There is also over-the-counter natural estrogent that you can get at the health food store.

Debby - posted on 02/24/2010

accupuncture!!!!!

it really helped my cramps in my forties and menopause, except for hot flashes for less than a year..nothing..easy...no more periods!!

Julianne - posted on 02/24/2010

Well said Catherine.

Catherine - posted on 02/24/2010

I've noticed a lot of people talking here about going to their doctors and getting HRT, and I have to say DO YOUR RESEARCH. Don't just trust your doctor to give you something safe. Many HRTs (most, actually) have been directly connected to cancer, and doctors continue to prescribe them because they fall into 'acceptable risk' categories.
Menopause can be extremely uncomfortable, but it is a natural process, and invading the body with drugs to combat something that should be happening anyway is, in my opinion, crazy.

Julianne - posted on 02/24/2010

I am 45 and my symptoms began about 3 years ago. I understand you can suffer for up to 10+ years.

I also prefer a non-drug treatment for anything. I alternate between melatonin, sleeping pills (occassionally), and P.M. pain relief (when needed).

I have found a comfortable sleeping arrangement with fan & certain clothing. That has helped substantially with night sweats. No caffeine after about 4pm.

Two of the most challenging (for me) symptoms are the migraines and the crazy cycles. I have had a 13 day cycle, and I've had 3 cycles in 5 weeks....with only a few days in between each cycle to catch my breath. Makes me feel very tired (I guess from losing all the iron?). Thinking of taking vitamin supplements at this point to balance what I'm losing. The other very frustrating side effect is the brutal weight gain, which is distributed in the most unattractive places. Watching my diet and exercise doesn't seem to help much.

I've read some good suggestions that I'm anxious to try. Great thread.

Catherine - posted on 02/24/2010

I'm forty-six and started a couple of years ago. I find black cohosh really helps when my moods are intense. St. John's Wort just made me dizzy. My periods can be irregular, and when I do get them the cramps are worse than ever and I often flood. The worst part for me, though, are the hormonal headaches, especially when I wake up with one. I used to take Advil for pain, but it rarely does the job anymore. Even Excedrin doesn't always cut it, but I'm not one to run to a doctor for everything. Going to a naturopath has really been huge for me, and I would recommend that.

Debbie - posted on 02/24/2010

I know of many people taking PhytoEstrin from Usana. It is plant based and natural. They also just started PureRest from Usana and they rest very well with it.....Good luck on your journey....

Amanda - posted on 02/24/2010

Hi Bonnie,

After having my hormone levels checked 18months ago, i was told i had started the process leading up to the menopause.

I rushed straight to the chemist to buy a supplement to help with the symptoms.

I tried Ymea.

It has definately worked for me!

I took two tablets every day for a year,and when i had my hormones levels checked again, the doctor was astounded, she thought id been on HRT.

Needless to say the Ymea according to my GP had reversed the menopause, and im not starting the menopause now!

I still take it every day!

Donna - posted on 02/23/2010

I'm fifty four and went through menopause seven years ago.I didn't want hormone replacements either. I tried to eat organic as much as possible . Stay away from white bread , rice , sugar ect.....It realy helps. Also my night sweats were bad , so I always kept a clean pair of Pj's( all cotton) near by to change into in the middle of the night.



Alcohol made it worse for me ... also not enough sleep. Hang in there ... It does get better...

Claudia - posted on 02/23/2010

I tried EVERYTHING natural.....Take the pills they help. LOL